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Diabetes Management in Community Health Centers: a Review of Policies and Programs

  • Economics and Policy in Diabetes (AA Baig and N Laiteerapong, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Diabetes Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Community health centers (CHCs) provide care to millions of vulnerable patients in the USA, including a disproportionate number with diabetes. Policies affecting diabetes management in CHCs therefore have broad implications for clinical practice and patient outcomes nationwide. We describe prior policies that have influenced diabetes management in CHCs, discuss current policies and programs, as well as present emerging innovations and future directions for diabetes care in this setting.

Recent Findings

Domains for current diabetes policies and programs in CHCs include coverage requirements, quality reporting and incentives, prescription discounts, healthy behavior incentives, and team-based care. Policies in these areas affect the management of diabetes at multiple levels, from organizations that support CHCs to individual health centers, and the providers and patients based there.

Summary

Several domains of interrelated policies and programs impact CHC diabetes management at multiple levels. Stakeholders’ understanding of these policies and programs may identify opportunities to improve diabetes care.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, 50 North Medical Dr. 5R341, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA

    A. Taylor Kelley

  2. Informatics, Decision-Enhancement and Analytic Sciences (IDEAS) Center, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    A. Taylor Kelley

  3. Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Robert S. Nocon

  4. Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Robert S. Nocon

  5. Department of Internal Medicine, Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA

    Matthew J. O’Brien

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A. Taylor Kelley declares that he has no conflict of interest.

Robert Nocon reports personal fees from RCHN Community Health Foundation, personal fees and non-financial support from Health Resources and Services Administration, and non-financial support from National Association of Community Health Centers.

Matthew J. O’Brien reports grants and personal fees from United Healthcare Services, and personal fees from NovoNordisk.

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Fig. 2
figure 2

Sources of Community Health Center funding shown as USA’s average. For comparison, Mississippi and Washington also shown to highlight variability in funding mix across states

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Kelley, A.T., Nocon, R.S. & O’Brien, M.J. Diabetes Management in Community Health Centers: a Review of Policies and Programs. Curr Diab Rep 20, 8 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-020-1289-0

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